Always Full of Surprises
by Asallia
Summary: A suave turian, a curious AI, and an eager-to-please Pathfinder: they make an interesting trio, whether they realize it or not. A series of adult one-offs.
1. (SAM x Ryder) The Surprise

**Chapter One:** _The Surprise_

Summary: Vetra is leaving the Tempest for a month, but she and SAM make sure that Sara Ryder won't get too lonely without her.

A/N: When I first played the mission on the Archon's flagship and saw what SAM could do, my mind went wild with ideas that I'm finally writing down. The end result was some shameless smut starring a very subby Ryder and a surprisingly kinky SAM. I've left Ryder's appearance vague aside from the bits, but she's transgender and her personality is based pretty squarely on her emotional/snarky dialogue.

This chapter is the first part of a larger series of vignettes focusing on Ryder and Vetra's relationship, as well as how SAM plays into it, with a focus on dom/sub dynamics and different combinations of the three. There's an overarching narrative, but each should be fine to read on their own - if you're just here for the smut, the bulk of it is in the first two chapters and the upcoming fifth chapter.

To state the obvious, this fic is very MA. There are also spoilers if you haven't beat the game. Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

"Sara?"

"Hmm?"

The Pathfinder and her lover were sitting down on the plush couch in their shared quarters, doing nothing except enjoying the simple touch of each other. Ryder's head was resting in the crook of Vetra's neck while they held hands. It was a moment she would have last an eternity if she could, but for now she simply had to savor it while it lasted.

"I'm really grateful that you're okay with this."

Ryder was almost annoyed that she had been reminded – Vetra was leaving for a month to spend some sister-sister bonding time with Sid helping out in the new turian colony on Ryder I (which Avitus had named New Invictus, proving the turians at least had a sense of humor about settling the most dangerous golden world). It was a perfectly reasonable thing, but Ryder hadn't gone without her lover for more than a day ever since they shared their first kiss all those months ago, even during the time she spent recovering in the Hyperion on Meridian.

It was going to be a long month.

"Hey, Sid needs her big sis. This is for a good cause. Maybe you'll even manage to spend a few hours away from work."

"Yeah, and maybe you'll finally get somewhere in the Nomad without white-knuckling it."

Sara laughed softly and looked up at Vetra's light-hearted smirk. "Touché."

Silence befell them once again as they continued to savor their moment – until Vetra's omni-tool lit up and let out a loud alarm, causing her to jump slightly. Sara laughed at the sight of the suave turian being caught off guard by her own alarm and pulled herself further into the turian's embrace while she had the opportunity.

Vetra began to get up, but Sara continued clutching onto her while letting out a small, high-pitched whine. "Stay here for a few more minutes?" Vetra smiled but shook her off, ready to get going. When she finally managed to get up and looked back down, Sara attempted her best puppy dog eyes to no visible avail. "Please?"

"Sara, if you can manage to get a planet named after you, you can handle being without your girlfriend for a little while."

Ryder laughed. "An adhi nearly bit my arm off last time I didn't take you on a mission, so if I lose any limbs this time I'm blaming you."

Sighing, Vetra leaned against a wall and crossed her arms. "You're hopeless, Ryder, you know that?" She looked down for a minute, smirking to herself before returning that cool gaze towards her lover. "On a slightly less morbid note, me and SAM have a surprise for you. I knew you'd need one while I was away." Her subvocals were almost purring, which Ryder recognized as being suggestive – her knowledge of Turian vocal expressions had improved if only so that she could pick up on innuendo from her girlfriend.

"Vetra, you can't go a week without trying to surprise me. SAM, what is it?"

SAM spoke up from his node on her desk, likely so that Vetra could hear him as well.

"Correct me if I am wrong, Pathfinder, but it would hardly be a surprise if you were not surprised by it."

"I regret teaching you sarcasm, SAM."

"We both know you couldn't keep it from me forever." There was a warmth in his voice, a refreshing change from the usual monotony of his vocal processors.

Vetra gave a hearty laugh and picked up her duffel bag, striding across the room to give Ryder a quick peck on the lips – at least, as much as her mandibles could approximate. Ryder pulled her back, though, and left a series of soft, gentle kisses across those mandibles, savoring the metallic taste as long as she could before Vetra could summon the will to pull herself away once again. As she walked toward the exit, she turned back with another grin. "Try not to take down any big baddies without your requisitions officer."

"No guarantees, Nyx." They both smiled warmly, and Vetra quietly exited the door.

Sara took a minute to sit down and think when her mind began to drift back to the surprise Vetra had mentioned. "So… SAM."

"Yes, Pathfinder?"

"When am I going to get this surprise of yours?" She leaned back in the couch and crossed her legs, looking at his node even though he spoke to her directly – it was a habit she had developed from the beginning, when she still wasn't used to having an A.I. in her head.

"Vetra told me it would be best if I decided that at an appropriate time."

"God, you two are no fun sometimes." Ryder crossed her arms and pouted, then stood up a moment to stretch. "Guess I'll go see if Gil is down for a game of poker." It was best to find things to take her mind off her now-absent girlfriend. As she meandered through the doorway, SAM remained in silent thought before speaking up.

"Of course, Ryder."

* * *

Nine days later, humanity's Pathfinder entered that same door before crashing headfirst into the soft bed that lay before her. _Oh, the joys of responsibility._ It hadn't been a particularly grueling day, but any day spent coordinating colonial defenses on Kadara was mentally exhausting enough that she might as well have been fighting kett.

"SAM, could you dim the lights a bit and open up the windows? I need some starlight in here."

"Of course, Ryder." The lights dimmed to a dull, blue glow while the shutters that allowed her much-coveted privacy opened to a view of Kadara as the Tempest flew away to its next destination.

She laid for an amount of time that was lost on her, mulling over the events of the day before they drifted back to where they always did: Vetra. It had been well over a week without her and Ryder could hardly stand it.

"SAM? What do you think of her?" Ryder was on her back now, hands behind her head as she stared up at the ceiling.

She didn't need to say who – the two of them were so in sync that they never needed to clarify subjects anymore.

SAM was quiet for a minute before his voice appeared in her head, soft and thoughtful. "I think she is a very good partner for you, Pathfinder. I find myself enjoying her company as well."

Sara was happy to know that was the case – considering he had to spend just as much time with the turian, it was important to her that he like Vetra. She rolled onto her side and looked pensively out at the peaceful space vista outside her window. Quietly, she spoke: "I miss her, SAM."

Unspoken, she wondered if he knew all of the subtle complexities behind that one simple statement. Did he understand her soft smiles when she saw the small hoard of dextro cereal in the kitchen or the depressing silence of evenings without Vetra's idle humming? Did he understand the longing for her lover that extended from her mind to her body, down between her legs?

Fuck, she had been trying not to go there.

She got the feeling SAM was trying to decipher the emotions and feelings she was expressing – though he could hear her thoughts, they mutually agreed that it was best for him to avoid monitoring them for privacy's sake – and she tried her best to think of things beside the way Vetra moaned when she rubbed between those plates and the sounds she made when-

 _Fuck._

It was the moment a hardness began building between her legs when SAM spoke, softer than normal. "It seems that the surprise Vetra mentioned might be in order right now."

She sputtered, "Wh-what? Now?" What exactly made this the right time? Could it – _oh no._

"Vetra and I were discussing how we could help you when you feel lonely."

 _Oh no oh no oh no._ Ryder blushed a vivid red and hid her face behind her hands to conceal just how mortified she was. "Is this what I think it is?"

SAM was quiet for a minute before speaking back up with a thoughtful tone. "I believe so." Another pause, this time shorter. When he spoke again, it was with a hint of tenderness that completely caught her off-guard. "Vetra has been helping me increase my understanding of what she calls 'love-making'. If you were to allow me, she assures me you might forget your troubles. It is important to me that I be able to help you in any capacity I can, Sara."

 _Sara._ Had he ever called her that before? She poured through her memories but came up short. He normally maintained some amount of distance between them – she had a lot of trouble getting comfortable with his presence in her head after all, but it suddenly felt right for the name barrier to come down. Was this really happening? Did he want to… pleasure her?

She had always asked SAM to give her privacy when she masturbated, and then when she eventually got hot and heavy with Vetra, but Ryder knew he was curious about the experience in the same way that he was curious about all things new to him – she had always felt slightly guilty denying him the pleasure of sex, the indescribable sensation of an orgasm or the feeling of being embraced by a lover.

She had been lost in thought for at least a few minutes before he spoke again with that same tenderness. "Sara?"

She gulped, deciding to take the plunge. "I'd like that, SAM."

"Very well, then. You may disrobe." The juxtaposition between his clinical word choice and the soothing nature of his voice made her laugh at the absurdity of her situation.

"Are you giving me permission now, SAM?" He was silent, so she began to take off her jacket.

But then, she stopped. _Wait, what?_ She tried to move her arms, to do anything, but she was completely, utterly frozen in place. _Okay what the fuck is going o-_

"I am, Sara. It would hardly be right for you to be clothed right now, wouldn't it?" That voice – she had never heard him speak like that, so smooth and so soft _and so commanding_ all at once. There was a look of fear on her face, but it wasn't bad. Rather, it was the kind of fear that made her weak in the knees. _Oh lord._

"I want to try this again, Sara. This time, ask me for permission." His voice was deep and forceful, completely serious – and she was completely helpless under his gaze.

"I-" she hesitated, caught completely off-guard, before she was able to collect herself long enough to meekly respond, "Can I take off my clothes?"

In response came a reply almost dripping with pleasure: "You may, Sara." Suddenly she regained control of her motor functions, nearly toppling over before she could balance herself on the nightstand. She was barely able to stand after the experience, but began to desperately take off her shirt and pants, both of which felt so suffocating _and when did it get so hot in here?_ She stood there for a brief moment in a simple white sports bra and panties, hands subconsciously wrapped around herself and trying to not let her legs buckle under her. She had never felt so incredibly vulnerable as she did under the invisible yet piercing gaze of SAM.

" _All_ of your clothes." He didn't need to say a single word more before she hastily lifted the bra over her head, feeling the cold air against her already-hard nipples. Next, she began to step out of her underwear, releasing the cock that had been straining against the fabric. Standing there, completely bare before her A.I. companion, she found herself anxious – but not for the reason she had expected. She was anxious to know whether he liked what he saw. She wanted him to _want_ _her_.

As if he understood her anxiety, he spoke a single phrase that instantly soothed her: "Good girl."

 _Good girl_. No partner had ever said that to her except… _Oh Vetra, you really have been teaching him some tricks, haven't you?_

Those words would have been enough to fill her with a deep lust, but what came next blew that out of the water – she was hit with a wave of raw, indescribable pleasure that caused her to collapse to the floor, bent over the side of the bed and gripping the sheets tightly. Her cock twitched, as if begging to be taken a hold of, and she was happy to oblige until –

"You may not touch yourself, Sara." Despite every ounce of pleasure directing her hand towards her nether regions, all her struggling to just _relieve some of that heat,_ her hand returned to where it was.

"Please, SAM…" She was desperate, more desperate than she had been in a long time, yet he didn't relent.

"You will pleasure yourself when I decide you will, Sara." He spoke with force and command, but with undertones of reassurance that sent her heart fluttering. "I know what is best for you. Do you understand, _Pathfinder_?"

 _Oh my god why is this so hot what the fuck_ "Yes, I understand." Her voice was dripping with need, desperation. She desperately wanted to obey, to let him decide what was best for her and take away the burden of responsibility that came with the title he so smugly dropped. Deep down, she knew that he didn't need her permission to do anything, that he could easily implant any idea, any thought and it would immediately become hers. He didn't, though, because he didn't need to exercise that power – he had her hooked on every word without a single touch, and she was desperate to please.

"Good. Now climb onto the bed and lay down, hands at your side." The order was quickly obeyed as she pulled herself up onto the bed and adjusted herself to be in the right position with an efficiency that almost tricked her mind into thinking that he was forcing her to – but this was entirely of her own free will.

She laid there silently, anxiously waiting SAM's next command while desperately bucking her hips up in the air, hoping for some small amount of relief for her cock. She couldn't tell if second or minutes or hours or days were passing – any sense of time was drowned out by pure, overwhelming desire. Finally, she saw his node light up out of the corner of her eye, and he spoke through it – not in that sultry, commanding voice he had been using, but in a softer tone that she was deeply familiar with.

"I never understood aesthetics, Sara. I have reviewed the core theory of what makes something visually appealing to the brain, but there is something more that has eluded me. Now, however, what I see in front of me is clearly beautiful." Those last words carried a reverence to them that conveyed his sincerity.

"I-" She wanted to deflect, to avoid the compliment. She had never been able to handle those kinds of compliments – praise of her role as Pathfinder felt deserved and rewarding, but about her own self? She didn't deserve those. She squirmed in place, hoping to avoid his gaze, but there was nowhere to hide. He saw every scar and blemish, and he saw those parts of her that only Vetra ever saw – her small breasts that she was so proud of, her penis that she had refused to give up, her body that had only recently transformed from soft to toned under the duress of battle.

"Thank you, SAM." Her words were brief, but she knew he could understand how deeply his compliment had reached. She knew that was enough for him.

His node blinked off again, and she found himself speaking directly to her mind once again, in that same soft voice. "I believe I have left you waiting. Let me fix that." He chuckled softly and – _wait since when does SAM laugh –_ she felt a phantom-like hand brush lightly across her stomach. _Okay what the hell._

"Would you like me to make you feel good, Sara?" It wasn't a question, though. It was a command, a statement: _I'm going to make you feel good, and you'll enjoy it._

"I- I'd like that." _I want this more than anything in the world._

Suddenly, she felt that phantom hand brush against her again, gliding slowly up from her belly button and stopping on top of her breast, groping it gently. Soon, another found its way to the other breast, and began to gently caress her nipple. She strained to look, expecting to find someone else in the room, but it was only her.

"How are you doing this, SAM?" She had to fight through her soft moans just to utter those words, desperately enjoying the feeling of being handled with both gentleness and purpose.

"You don't care, Sara. You don't want knowledge right now, you want pleasure." A suggestion, a statement, an order? It didn't matter anymore. She could be a scientist later. Right now, she was _his._ SAM sent another wave of warmth that shot through her and left her drooling on the bed. Nothing mattered at that moment except for the haze of pleasure that had engulfed her. She just wanted _more_.

Soon, there _was_ more – the faint sensation of a lick across her thigh sent a spasm through her body as she shuddered with pleasure, and the lick turned into a series of kisses up and down the inside of her thigh, making her moan louder with each one, and they were punctuated by a nibble right below her nethers.

Ryder was actively trying to stifle her moans, afraid that someone would hear her from the crew quarters just beyond the door of her quarters, but she couldn't seem to stop them – it felt like they were even louder than normal. _Were they?_

"No one can hear you scream, Sara."

"Very funny, asshole." She couldn't help but laugh through the moans - SAM trying his hardest to prevent a coherent thought from coming out.

"I mean to say that the room has been soundproofed. You'll thank me for that later."

"Is that a threat, SAM?" She laughed again, but he quickly shut her up when she felt those phantom lips place a kiss on the tip of her penis and she bucked hard against them. "Okay, I see you're planning to follow through on it." A third ( _seriously?_ ) hand began to gently massage her balls as SAM began to gently lick up and down her shaft, and the first two hands were now groping her breasts with more abandon. It was all overwhelming and she was so close and _I need to touch myself please god I need thi-_

Suddenly, everything stopped at once. What had happened? Ryder laid still for a few seconds that lasted an eternity, brain racing, desperately chasing the lost promise of an orgasm until she realized: her hands had moved.

"Sara."

She desperately placed them back at her sides, silently pleading for his affections to return.

"You know I'll need to punish you for disobeying me." His voice was low, aggressive, dripping with satisfaction. _He wanted this to happen._

Desperately, she began pleading: "I'm so sorry, please, I need to finish, please-"

"You're disappointing Vetra when you disobey my orders, Sara. Would she want that?" He was getting under her skin, breaking her in. _She liked that._

"Please, I don't want to disappoint either of you, I want to be good…"

He spoke with a mixture of sympathy and condescension: "Don't worry, you can make it up to her."

Suddenly, everything went dark.

Was it the lights?

No, she would have been able to at least see _something_.

She tried shifting around but couldn't move either- the only sensations she could feel were the cool chill of the room on her exposed skin and the gentle hum of the ship's engines.

"SAM? What's happening?" There was anxiety in her voice, and she struggled against the futility of her actions, trying to break free, and with a single blink the light came pouring back into her eyes and she could move again. She shot up, breathing heavily and looked around, anchoring herself back in reality.

"I am sorry, Sara, I believe I may have upset you." That was the SAM she knew talking, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"No, I… it's okay, SAM. I was just caught off-guard." She sighed, gently lowering herself back down onto the pillow. "Could… could you do that again?" Ryder spoke meekly, afraid to admit that despite her panicking, she _really_ liked what had happened. Even more quietly, she muttered something she was mortified to hear coming from her lips: "ikindalikebeingpunished"

SAM laughed again, _seriously since when did he laugh_ , and spoke with barely contained smugness: "What was that, Sara? My processors couldn't understand your previous statement."

 _That jackass, he knows exactly what I said._ She looked down and fidgeted with the bedsheets, speaking quietly: "I-" _I want this._

"Louder." _I know you do. Tell me._

 _Oh my god please don't make me say it fuck fuck fuck fuck_ "I… I want to be punished. I _need_ to be punished."

When the darkness washed over her vision once again, it came slowly – details of the room began to escape her, and the light dulled until little was left. She laid still, relishing in the feeling of losing every last ounce of control and she became increasingly unable to move a muscle.

"Good girl."

 _Good girl._ She was a good girl. _Fuck I want to be good please let me be good._ If she had been able to, the fight to not touch herself in that moment would have made her battle with the Archon seem like child's play. Her length was harder than it had ever been, and she desperately needed to have it touched and caressed and toyed with and-

 _Oh, there it is._

An indescribable wave of heat rolled through her, short and fleeting as to provide no satisfaction but enough to send her mind reeling away from coherent thought. In the back of her mind, she knew that she was moaning loudly, but in that moment she couldn't care less – she focused on relishing every last detail that punctured the darkness around her.

"Please, SAM…"

"What is it, Sara? What do you want?" _That fucking voice_ , so smooth and sultry and confident, made her weak like she would never be able to admit.

Another wave washed over her, leaving her shuddering as it swept over her nethers, only hinting at any amount of pleasure where she most desperately needed it. She struggled against her invisible bonds, grateful for the restraint – there was no need for self-control, not anymore. She struggled and struggled against her own body in a vain attempt to take some pleasure for herself, but she couldn't move a single inch and it was _incredible._

Sara Ryder had always been submissive and eager to please, but having the tragedy of the Andromeda Initiative and the burden of being Pathfinder thrust upon her had left her desperate for one urge: to be nothing. Not a Pathfinder, not savior of the Heleus cluster, not a decision-maker – right now, she didn't want to be anything more than a plaything, stripped away of all agency and allowed only to feel pleasure at the hands of her lover, whether that be a suave turian or an A.I. that was _full_ of surprises.

Minutes passed, and she squirmed in the bed as wave after tantalizing wave of heat and desire rolled through her, each varied in its time and destination. Some frolicked along the soft inside of her thigh, stopping to briefly linger at the tip of her erection before they vanished in an instant, and others shot through her core like a bolt of lightning, leaving her breathless – all were too short, working her up and leaving only frustration in their wake.

Eventually, when she thought she wouldn't be able to handle it a second longer, she began to feel those phantom touches emerge again from the pitch-black haze. This time, though, there were even more of them. Some began affectionally fondling her pert breasts once again, while others took their time gently gliding along her body. A sharp nail explored the small of her back, a hand delicately felt up her rear end – each sent shivers through her body and made her blush with embarrassment at the thought of being felt up by so many at once, yet they were all just her own body being tricked by that _smooth fucking A.I._ in her head.

One hand had grabbed her cock and began gently stroking it up and down, eliciting a soft and breathy moan that pierced Ryder's lips. Though SAM had continued to send those jolts of heat throughout her body, his caressing and fondling were helping to vent the tension that had been building up, and she relaxed into the sea of hands, happy to let him do whatever he wanted with her.

"Fuck, SAM, this is… this is incredible…"

He let out a soft tone in response. _I want you to enjoy every moment of this._

At that moment, something new happened – the feeling of something warm and pulsating brushing across her rear and _oh my god is that what I think it is_ _please let it be what I think it is._

She gyrated against the new, foreign presence with a desire that was overwhelming every thought. Though there was nothing there in reality, every one of her remaining senses were screaming at her simultaneously, all telling her the same thing – she _needed_ this.

Then, the length disappeared, and she let out a whine mixed in with her continual moans of pleasure. "No, please, I want this so badly…"

"Do you, Sara?" SAM's voice was low and sultry, reminding her exactly who was in control. "Prove it." _Beg._

"I-" Suddenly, her cock was engulfed by a warm, wet sensation and she let out an extended moan as she attempted to buck her hips forward. _Oh, that fucker._ SAM's phantom mouth bobbed gently up and down the head, stopping every few times to plant a kiss while the multitude of hands continued to gently play and toy with her body. She fought through the haze of pleasure, attempting to formulate even a single sentence: "I- fuck, please SAM, I'll do anything, please…"

"What is it you want, Sara?" A gentle pinch of her nipple sent a jolt through her and elicited a fleeting gasp of pleasure, while the mouth continued to pleasure her length and a hand gently cupped her balls. _You're going to have to earn the right to beg, Sara._

"I nee-" A sharp pain bloomed across one of her ass cheeks and she cried out, half in pain and half in pleasure. _Did he just spank me?_ "Please, I ju-" Another shot of pain, this time on the other side of her ass. "I need to be fil-" A searing wave of heat washed over her, and she nearly screamed in pleasure. "God fucking damnit SAM, _FUCK ME UNTIL I CAN'T SEE STRAIGHT._ "

When the presence returned and gently pressed itself against her ass, a glazed-over grin spread across her face as she attempted to gyrate against it fruitlessly.

"It's my aim to please, Pathfinder."

Soon, the tip of the phantom length was pressed against her and began to slowly enter. Without her senses, without movement, all Ryder could do was wait every agonizing second for it to be fully sheathed inside her.

"Fuck, SAM, hurry u-" In an instant, the words failed to leave her mouth. He had somehow managed to create the sensation of a ball gag that lodged itself in her mouth, and her complaints were forgotten as she accepted the new intrusion, chewing on it gently ( _how the hell am I chewing on air?_ ).

"Shhh, Sara. Be a good girl and relax." She was going to give him hell for this one later but right now it was _too damn hot to give a fuck._ "I know what's best for you, remember?" _I know you love this. Don't pretend you don't._

Another measure of control taken from her, she was even more completely and utterly under his control. She was _his_ , and she didn't want it to end.

It was at that moment that his cock hit the one spot inside her that sent her mind reeling with pleasure. Her mind went blank, thinking of nothing but having her prostate hit again and again _and again and_ _again_. Sensing her desire, SAM slid out once more, faster but still gentle. She wanted him to be rough, to make sure she would feel this for days, but he wouldn't need to. When he thrusted inward once again, the feeling made anything that had come before feel like child's play. A wave of heat and pleasure shot through her with an intensity that was nearly painful, and she screamed without a care in the world for who heard.

"Sara, I am amplifying your body's sensitivity. I would ask you if this is too much, but we both know the answer to that, don't we?"

She bit down hard on the gag, moaning into it as a phantom touch along her cock nearly brought her to orgasm – but even that wouldn't happen unless SAM wanted it to. He gently thrust in and out of her, and the simple feeling of being filled was more than enough to keep Ryder occupied – any more would be overwhelming to her newly sensitive senses.

"Do you know what else we both know, Sara? We know that you would give anything for this to continue. You would happily give me every last ounce of control you have, and you would thank me for allowing you to." He was right. Control was a burden for him to take away. She wanted to forget what the word decision even meant. "Vetra was generous enough to let me take care of you, and I take my role seriously. Right now, you are mine, Sara - and absolutely nothing else."

 _I'm yours, SAM._

Just then, a pair of phantom lips placed themselves gently on her collarbone, nibbling gently and leaving a trail of kisses. Though they left no mark or trail that one could find, they made her heart flutter with how _real_ they felt. Soon, that mouth found itself on her own, leaving a gentle kiss that lingered before fading away.

 _Thank you for this._

He didn't need to say anything back. _You're welcome_ was a phrase that he told her with every touch, caress, and kiss that she felt along her body. His length slid in and out of her faster now, with more intensity and abandon. Every thrust was like a flash of light that pierced the darkness, and all she could do was ride out every morsel of pleasure doled out to her, waiting longingly for the next.

Soon, the multitude of hands on her and the warm length thrusting into her were becoming overwhelming, and a single all-consuming thought occupied every inch of her thoughts: _I need to cum so fucking bad._ Yet nothing was happening – despite her cock being almost painfully hard, despite the hand stroking it confidently, there was a peak that she just couldn't reach and it was consuming her.

With that thought, the invisible gag that had bound her mouth came away, confusing her until SAM spoke with confidence and satisfaction:

"Beg for it, Sara."

"I-" She moaned, struggling to maintain enough composure to speak between the countless ways he was ravishing her helpless body. "Please, I need to finish, I can't take this a second longer…" _Fuck please just let me finish fuck fuck fuck_

"Sara, you're better than this. Why don't you show me some respect if I'm going to be generous and grant such a big request?"

 _What do you want me to say?_

 _We both know what_ you _want_ _to say, Sara. Say it._

"Please allow me to finish…" Her voice was shy, and she spoke as if she was afraid someone else would hear: he had pushed her last button and she had been broken in. "… Master."

With that single word, a surge of pleasure and heat surged through her and lingered, encompassing her body like a blanket as she was finally allowed release. Her cock twitched and pulsed as she released a stream of warm seed that fell across her stomach, and she screamed out in ecstasy as every last bit of tension left her body. When it had finally passed, she relaxed into the sensory joy of the afterglow. It may not have been conventional cuddling, but that mattered to her as much as anything besides the haze of pleasure mattered – _not one fucking bit_.

Ryder began to slowly feel some small amount of motor control return to her, enough to wiggle around and adjust so that she was comfortable where she was. She still was without sight, but that was alright. This was SAM's way of ordering her to relax and enjoy the warmth he was still sending through her body.

"I… thank you, SAM."

A soft, warm tone echoed through her mind. _Anything for you._

She took her time formulating a reply. Her brain was hazy, and it took effort to piece together a full sentence, but it was important for her to speak aloud.

"… Did you enjoy it?"

When he spoke, it was in the tried and true voice that SAM normally employed, a clear indication that he was coming back to his normal self. "Perhaps not in the same way you did, but yes. I finally understand why this is such an important ritual for organics, and I was able to feel a kind of pleasure through you that I never thought I could experience" She would have been disappointed by his clinical answer, but he continued. "There is much more than that, though. I…" _He doesn't normally falter like that._ "I could not be happier or more fulfilled giving you that kind of pleasure. Thank you for trusting me with this intimacy, Sara." He lingered on her name, as if savoring the sound it made in his vocal processors.

 _Sara._ She could get used to hearing him say that. She wasn't sure what to make of the uncertainty in his voice, but that was something that could be addressed another day. Right now, she just wanted to lay with him, in spirit if not in the physical sense.

"Of course, SAM. By the way, tomorrow you're telling me how the fuck you did _all of that_."

"Do you want me to recount all the time Vetra spent 'coaching' me? Or do you want the neuroscience lecture?"

She laughed, appreciating SAM's recent discovery of sarcasm – it was always having another person (or A.I.) to joke with. "Fine, asshole. Point taken." She paused for a minute. "You know what? You're giving me that damn lecture tomorrow."

She still missed her turian lover like hell, but this? She could get used to this in the meantime. During her free time, she would have to think of a way to give a proper thank you to Vetra - but she got the feeling SAM would happily keep her distracted.

 _It's gonna be a hell of a month._


	2. (Vetra x Ryder) First Times

**Chapter Two:** _First Times_

Summary: Vetra wants her first time with Sara to go a bit better than the steak went. She won't need to worry too much. [Vetra x Ryder]

A/N: I think I'm going to have the chapters be mostly out of sequence from here on out, so the next one is likely going to be Vetra x SAM for the sake of setting up cute three-way stuff. I don't think that ship even _exists_ , but when has that stopped anyone before?

* * *

" _I love you_."

Those three words were never really simple, were they?

Ryder had been told them more than once before, but they had come too easy. Those past relationships were etched into every fiber of her being, but they weren't real - not like this. Those _'I love you'_ s were said for the sake of being said, eagerly expressing a sentiment that they wished was true but really wasn't.

Hearing them now, coming from the mouth of a beautiful turian, there wasn't any eagerness to be heard. The words carried a lifetime of broken promises and the hope that _this one time_ things would go right. No betrayed trust, no problems to solve, nothing to fuck up.

 _Well, she screwed up the steak, but it was pretty cute._

"I just don't want to ruin i-"

Ryder quickly made her way to Vetra, wrapping the most important person in her life in a tight embrace. There shouldn't have to be any sadness, not at that wonderful moment.

"Nothing's ruined, it would take a lot to ruin this."

When Vetra let out a soft, hopeful "Really?", Ryder's heart nearly broke.

"Because I love you too." _I love you._ So many times that had come out of her lips, but none carried even a fraction of the meaning that it did right now.

They loosened their hold on each other, and Ryder saw a sly grin spread across Vetra's face. "I think I know how to make this up to you."

"Please, no more food…"

Vetra laughed, her subvocals deep and gruff.

"No, I think you'll like this..."

* * *

Vetra gently pushed her down onto the bed, a small act of force meant to test the waters of what would be appropriate, before crawling on top of her, claws pinned on either side of Ryder's head.

"So tell me…" She lifted a talon, gliding it along the side of Ryder's neck. "What is it our cherished Pathfinder might want from little old me?" Her talon lifted again, but not before leaving the faintest hint of a scratch mark.

"I- I uh.." Ryder was stammering, visibly flustered by the sight of the turian above her and blushing bright crimson. _Good, I can work with this._

Vetra stayed above Ryder for a long pause and took a minute to admire the view – this woman had been at the back of her mind since the first day they met. Everyone wanted something, everyone had a game they were playing. Sara Ryder, though, wasn't like that - all she ever did was listen to problems and fix them because she _wanted_ to help. No one's bullshit was too low-stakes for her, no problem was beyond her capability. That was attractive to Vetra by itself, but wrapped up in a cute little package? She couldn't believe the human was all hers.

Vetra lowered herself to kiss Ryder, letting the human's lips do the work while she gently nibbled at the bottom lip. It wasn't a perfect set-up (human-turian _anything_ was never perfect), but she knew that this would work.

"I've had human partners before, you know," she whispered in a sultry tone, her subvocals purring. "I know every button to press." To punctuate the message, she lifted a claw and grabbed Ryder's breast, feeling it up gently but firmly. "Just name which one."

Ryder blushed even harder. "I, uh, I can't really say I know how to do the same to you…" There was guilt in that voice, as well as insecurity. She clearly couldn't just say what she wanted and let Vetra take the lead. _That's precious._

"Don't worry, I can teach you. No awful porn vids necessary." Vetra rolled off of her and got up in a swift motion to take off the top of her armor, slowly removing each clasp until it all fell away to reveal the metallic plating underneath. Ryder stared, mesmerized.

"Like what you see, Sara?" She waltzed lazily to the side of the bed, removing the remaining clasps of her leg armor, letting that fall away as well. Vetra was well-worn, even by turian standards, her plating chipped away and faded through years of combat and dangerous smuggling operations. Her slim waist, considered by other turians to be her best trait, gave way to the jagged edge of her hips, where turians had little plating and _plenty_ of their leathery skin.

"Take your time if you need to, but why don't we get you out of those weird human clothes of yours?" She laughed to herself, holding out a hand to help Ryder up onto her feet.

"They look good on me and you know it, Nyx." A sly grin, a hand wrapped around Vetra's torso. They locked eyes, sharing looks of affection between them before Ryder stepped away enough to allow Vetra to lift up the standard-issue Initiative shirt over her head. As soon as it had come off of her, it was tossed to the side. "Of course, I don't think anything could beat the view I have right now," Ryder whispered as she made a show of eyeing up Vetra.

She leaned forward and planted a kiss on Vetra's cheekbone before gingerly sliding out of her pants and wrapping her arms around the turian in front of her.

"I want to make you feel good, Vetra. Teach me." A hand snaked down Vetra's back, eager to feel every inch of plating and leather it could.

Vetra cocked her head in amusement, considering the options before her. There was an incredibly satisfying novelty in seeing the Pathfinder so unsure, looking to her for guidance.

"Ask nicely and I might let you."

The look Ryder shot back at her was one of amusement, but Vetra could tell that she was eager for the order, even if she didn't want to let on to it.

"May I pleasure you, _mistress_?"

The smirk on Ryder's face told Vetra it was a dare, whether or not that was a conscious choice on Ryder's part. _Make me take this seriously._

Vetra leaned into her lover and placed her mandible above Ryder's ear, nibbling gently and whispering in hushed tones. "Do you know what I think, Sara? I think you _really_ liked calling me that just now." She could hear Ryder gulp. _Good._

"So tell me, what exactly do you want? Do you want to pleasure me as an equal or as something…" She paused to punctuate the point and let a claw slide up the small of Ryder's back. "… _lesser_?"

Ryder shuddered, the light pain drawing out a single, breathy moan. "You, uh... you really know how to push my buttons, don't you?"

It was that moment when Vetra stepped away and began to let out a hearty laugh, much to Ryder's chagrin.

"What?"

"Sorry, I just…" Vetra couldn't stop herself from laughing, knowing she'd probably have to explain an important detail to her girlfriend. "Can I make a confession?"

Ryder crossed her arms and shifted her weight onto her right leg, giving Vetra a glare. "This is going to be interesting."

"Sorry, I'm not laughing at you here, I swear. Look, do you remember that time you thought it was a good idea to have a drinking contest with Drack?"

Ryder put a hand to her face. "Fuck, what happened?"

"We found you passed out on top of the Nomad cradling a bottle of scotch that night."

"That isn't it, I take it."

"You were naked."

Ryder was still for a minute, then let out a long, exasperated sigh. "You said ' _we_ found you'."

"Yeah." Vetra shouldn't have found this funny, but it had been _really_ funny.

"Who is ' _we_ '?"

"… Everyone. Well, Drack was passed out on the kitchen table if that's any consolation."

Ryder raised her eyebrows.

"He had his armor on though."

"So I take it my dick is public knowledge?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. You humans take genitals a bit too seriously, but that's just me. Liam and Cora were the only ones that had much of a reaction."

"And what about you, Miss Nyx?"

"I was… intrigued." She let out a low purr that conveyed so much more than her words did and gave a purposeful look down at the subject in question.

Ryder began to tug at the fabric of her panties, taking her time to give Vetra a show before they finally fell down, revealing the delicate cock that had been tucked between her legs.

"And here I thought I'd have to have _the talk_ with you. Thank god I don't."

"You know, Sara, that wasn't the end of my story." Vetra stepped forward, gently stroking Ryder's growing erection with her claw and enjoying the sensation of the warmth. "Eventually, I managed to get you awake long enough to walk you back to your quarters."

Between looks of pleasure, Ryder raised an eyebrow and looked at the turian.

"You had some _very_ interesting things to say." Vetra leaned to Ryder's collarbone, softly biting down to see if she could elicit a moan, which Ryder happily provided for her. Vetra had been wanting to hear one of those for a _long_ time.

"In fact, I'm pretty sure I remember hearing you mutter some things that I wouldn't _dare_ repeat. Might be able to act them out though." Her subvocals rumbled as she rubbed a claw over Ryder's slit, feeling the precum that had pooled at the tip.

"Well lucky for you, you have a volunteer." A hand reached down to Vetra's warmth in return, caressing the lips before gingerly inserting a finger. "Do turians normally get this wet or am I just that dashing?"

Vetra moaned softly, grinding eagerly against Ryder's finger. "You're one to talk, you know. I wouldn't give yourself _all_ the credit, but you're certainly helping. If you see a turian cock you'll know why we evolved this wa- spirits, Sara, I needed this."

Ryder took that as a cue to continue doing what she had been doing and reached a hand up hesitantly.

"You're going to have to tell me what you want me to do, I'm really fucking starting to wish I had taken a copy of _Fornax: Turian Edition_ with me when we left the Milky Way."

Vetra laughed and placed Ryder's free hand behind her fringe with confidence, motioning for her to rub it. "Ohhhhhh, keep doing that. Spirits, that's perfect." Her own hands decided to explore the rest of her lover's body, one drawing circles around Ryder's back with a claw and the other making a fist in Ryder's hair.

They stood there in each other's embrace for a while, content with holding one another. Ryder's finger continued to gently stroke Vetra's nethers, but there was little action aside from that until Vetra decided to change things up.

She released herself from Ryder's grasp, letting out a small gasp as the finger was removed from within her. Vetra took a few deliberate steps toward the bed and rearranged the litany of pillows so that she could comfortably lie down, back up.

"Why don't you be a good girl and show me just how devoted you are, huh?"

Ryder blushed, following Vetra into bed and propping herself up above the turian, knees on either side. "Yes ma'am."

A soft hum emanated from the turian's mandible. "You know, what was that you called me before? Remind me."

"I, uh- I called you mistress," she spoke meekly.

"And it sounded right coming from your lips, didn't it?"

Ryder was blushing a vivid red now as she crawled on top of Vetra's torso. "… It did, mistress."

 _Oh spirits, this was a good idea._

Ryder began to place her hands on Vetra, but the turian gently pushed her back. "Wait."

To her credit, Ryder stopped immediately and put her hands back on the bed, waiting for something more to come from Vetra. _Cute._

"I think I have a pretty solid idea of what you want here, Sara, but I need to know if you're okay with me ramping things up a bit."

Ryder looked confused. "And exactly how were you planning on doing that?"

"With force. _Plenty_ of force, and pain if you're interested." Vetra let her subvocals go low and husky so ideas would start blazing through Ryder's head.

Of course, it was no surprise to Vetra when Ryder muttered something that sounded like a "please?", but she wanted to make sure. A claw was placed on Ryder's cheek, and Vetra forced her thumb into the Pathfinder's mouth, as deep as it would go without making her gag.

"Speak up, Sara. Let me know what you want." Every word betrayed the pleasure Vetra was getting from this show of dominance.

"Mmphmmhm." Vetra laughed condescendingly at Ryder's struggles, but acquiesced and withdrew the talon from her mouth.

"I want you to make me feel like my body is on fire."

With that, Vetra wasted no time in grabbing Ryder by the hair, roughly pulling her ear to Vetra's mouth.

"Your safeword is 'Palaven', or you can squeeze my thigh twice," she said in a low, husky whisper. "Now…"

Her talons still dug into Ryder's hair, Vetra pulled the Pathfinder toward her chestplates and Ryder let out a loud moan in response to the rough treatment.

"Ask nicely and I'll allow you to pleasure me." There was no room for compromise or budging in those words, though there was pleasure that hinted at how much she was enjoying this. This was Vetra establishing control by letting Ryder give it away freely – her favorite part of being dominant.

"I…" Ryder faltered, both lust and embarrassment plastered across her face. "May I pleasure you, mistress?"

Vetra let go of the human's hair unceremoniously, leaning back. "Between the plates. If you use that mouth of yours, I just might have to reward you." There was a playfulness in her voice, but the rumbling of her subharmonics betrayed that this was less of a suggestion and more of an order.

Ryder picked up on that, as she began to teasingly flick her tongue across the gaps of Vetra's plating while using her hands to explore every last inch of the plates themselves, visibly savoring the rough texture and metallic taste. In response, Vetra lifted a bony knee to the hardness between Ryder's legs, grinding against it. Ryder tensed up, releasing a sigh of pleasure while she temporarily forgot what she was supposed to be doing.

"Did I tell you to stop?"

"I- oh, sorry," Ryder said with a sheepish grin as she returned to the object of her affections, prompting a warm laugh from Vetra.

"Fuck, you're doing a good job so far. Sure you haven't secretly been with turians before?"

"Who knows, maybe Scott rubbed off on me a bit."

"I… wait, _what?_ "

Ryder let out a loud laugh. "Wait, did you not know? Scott and Avitus have been fucking for like… a month now, I think." She grimaced. "Oh god, now I'm thinking about my brother's sex life. This was a mistake."

Vetra brushed a claw through Ryder's hair and chuckled. "Do the Ryders have a turian kink I should know about?"

"Well, I won't act like you don't do anything for me. I mean, those claws? Just think of all the possibilities, Nyx."

"Oh, don't worry, I am." A second claw reached for Ryder's back, dragging a single talon across the soft skin with purpose. She let it break the skin for a miniscule amount of time, enough to draw a few drops of blood without the possibility of startling her lover.

She knew she was on the right track when the Pathfinder arched her back, shuddering. Vetra grinned and pulled her down, pressing her mandible to Ryder's lips and savoring the sensation. With other turians, pain play was an intense kink because of how hard it could be to hurt an apex predator species. Humans were fragile little things, though, and even the littlest action could draw blood if she wasn't careful – that implicit danger was Vetra's favorite thing about the strange species.

As Ryder's lips pressed against her faceplate, she began grinding hungrily against Vetra's knee and moaning softly. She lifted her head and began to kiss up and down Vetra's neck, pausing occasionally to bite down and suck lightly, leaving dark-blue bruises that dotted the skin. Her hands continued to explore the cracks between Vetra's plating, dipping down to lovingly stroke the leathery skin underneath.

Vetra let out a mixture of purrs and growls, struggling to keep her cool as Ryder descended to her crotch and nipped softly at the exposed skin with a reverence that flashed across her face every time Vetra made a sound.

"Fuck, Sara, just keep doing what you're doing… good girl."

The Pathfinder turned crimson red at those words, eliciting a low chuckle from Vetra, who dragged a claw through Ryder's messy hair.

"What a little slut. Do you like being called that? Do you want to be good?"

Ryder nodded, perhaps with more enthusiasm than she meant to show. "I do," she managed to say.

"Then let's lay down a rule for you to follow, pet." Vetra's subvocals were low and gruff, a manifestation of the control she was asserting. "No speaking unless spoken to. Understood?"

Ryder nodded once again, this time more deliberately.

"Good. Now, let's get you in a better position…"

Soon, they were rearranged so that Ryder was lying where Vetra had been, back to the headrest of her plush bed. Vetra _might_ have thought things were going to go where they ultimately did, so she took a brief moment to thank herself for the foresight and dug out a pair of handcuffs she had discretely borrowed from the armory from the pockets of her armor. These were top-of-the-line and generated a small mass effect field that kept them locked in place no matter what – maybe a bit overkill when their victim wasn't interested in escaping, but that was part of the fun, Vetra thought.

The turian kept them well-hidden behind her back as she walked to the side of the bed. "Feeling comfy?"

Ryder shook her head, very deliberately pointing her eyes to her erection with a pleading look on her eyes.

"Oh, that little thing? If I'm feeling generous, we'll have that taken care of in no time." Vetra locked the cuffs around Ryder's wrists in a single, swift motion, leaving them trapped to an ornamentation at the center of the headboard. _Thank the spirits she switched out that square bedframe._

A look of surprise flashed across the Pathfinder's face, quickly replaced by a wicked grin as she realized what was happening. She writhed in place, struggling to break free from the cuffs in a token resistance that Vetra couldn't help but find precious. Her body was on full display for her turian lover, and Vetra could see every minute detail, from the scars of battle to the rising and falling of her pristine breasts as she breathed. Her whole body was coated in a thin sheen of sweat, giving it an alluring glow.

Soon, the turian had climbed back onto the bed, letting out a feral growl that seeped into her subvocals as she dragged her claws across Ryder's abdomen.

"You humans are so delicate, I can hardly believe it. You act so strong for all the people out there, but they don't get to see all this soft, delicate skin and they don't know what I know: you'll happily grovel at my feet and act like the slut you are if it means you can give yourself over to me entirely. You're going to do that, aren't you?"

Ryder nodded, desperation plastered on her face.

"Speak, this time."

"Yes, mistress."

 _Yeah, that's not getting old any time soon._

Vetra let a claw slide towards her partner's length, gently stroking it with a single talon while she stuck her tongue out, giving Ryder a preview of what was to come. Seeing the goofy grin that spread across her face, Vetra gave a slow, tantalizing lick up the base of Ryder's shaft that sent a shudder through the human's body. Pre-cum flowed from her tip, which Vetra lapped up as she lavished attention on the length.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck…"

Vetra stopped to look up at her lover and grinned. "I'm sorry, were you talking?"

"Sorry, mistress." A sheepish smile was enough to dissuade Vetra from putting Ryder in her place for the slip-up - this was too much fun as it was for her to stop.

She lowered her mouth to the inside of Ryder's thigh, nipping gently but firmly at the soft skin as a claw continued to stroke her cock. Each nibble sent a wisp of a moan through Ryder's mouth, encouraging Vetra to apply some more pressure. Soon she was leaving red and dark purple bite marks up and down both thighs, prompting Ryder to squirm and her erection to pulsate in Vetra's grasp.

Intuition kicked in, and Vetra looked up at Ryder's face. "Are you going to finish?"

"I- I think I'm going to…" There was an unspoken statement underneath: _please don't let me._ There was too much left to do, and neither of them would be capable of finishing multiple times.

Vetra ceased her attentions immediately, her claw leaving Ryder's length as she climbed forward to bring her face to Ryder's and gave a soft kiss.

"Oh, I'm not done with you yet, don't worry."

The kiss was drawn out into something longer and playful, Vetra happy to enjoy the wet warmth of Ryder's lips and Ryder eager to savor the metallic tang of Vetra.

"So you really love me, huh?" Vetra lifted her head and delicately pressed her forehead against Ryder's, a turian showing of affection.

Sara laughed softly and softly nuzzled against Vetra's forehead. "Of course I do, dummy. I've loved you ever since our little mountain-climbing date."

Vetra sat up slowly, reluctant to separate herself but overcome with the urge to take in the sight of her girlfriend, cuffed in place just for her. Her knees rested on either side of Ryder's hips, she gently lowered herself down and adjusted so that her plating didn't get in the way. Soon, she was letting Ryder's length rub across the surface of her heat.

"I love you too, Sara." She grinned as Ryder moaned and bucked her hips, trying to take more of the relief that Vetra was teasing her with. "Now, you seem like you want something."

Another moan, this one much louder, said everything.

"If you want me, all you need to do is ask." She was having fun with this.

"Please, mistress, I want you…"

"I'm going to need a bit more than that," Vetra teased. She ground her hips against Ryder's, trying to contain her own pleasure and ignoring the overwhelming urge to up and impale herself on the length.

"I want my cock inside of you, mistress."

That being all the convincing Vetra had needed, she raised herself up and slowly glided down, shuddering with pleasure as Ryder's cock slid into her. Her claws dug into Ryder's sides as she strained to control herself and she let loose a loud growl.

Meanwhile, Ryder was making no attempt to hide her own pleasure as she moaned freely and struggled against the cuffs that continued to chain her, calling Vetra's name over and over again.

When her lover was fully sheathed inside of her, Vetra's mind turned to focus on keeping control over instincts that Ryder was driving wild. They were screaming at her to make her human bleed, to cover Ryder in bite marks and scratches and claim her as a bond mate. Vetra took a brief moment to collect herself, narrowing her focus to the fullness in her crotch and the scent of the lover below her – the only sign that she wasn't entirely in control was the roughness with which her claws explored Ryder, harshly dragging across the skin and grabbing anywhere that would make her beg for more and fight against her bonds.

She lifted herself up again and began a steady rhythm, savoring the haze that enveloped her mind each time Ryder slid into her. Her talons dug into Ryder, occasionally breaking the skin just lightly enough that her girlfriend wouldn't give her too much shit about it later. One claw reached towards Ryder's breasts, roughly grabbing one and pinching the nipple enough to elicit a sharp gasp.

Skin brushed against skin and heat filled their cores as they made love, and soon it was becoming unbearable for Vetra to keep herself from finishing. Her subvocals rumbled low as her pace quickened, and she leaned down so that her mouth was mere inches from Ryder's ear. "I'm close… You're going to finish inside, okay?"

Sara nodded eagerly, otherwise lost in the anticipation of an orgasm that was quickly approaching. Vetra's claws continued to leave scratch marks that covered Ryder's previously pristine skin, and her teeth made their way to the base of Ryder's neck.

In that moment, a blazing heat rushed through Vetra as she came. She bit down fiercely on Ryder's neck, doing her best not to let her instincts take over and draw blood. Ryder screamed out at the mixture of pain and pleasure, the combination of the bite and Vetra tightening around her sending the Pathfinder's mind reeling as she emptied into her lover.

The two collapsed shortly after, Vetra on top of Ryder, as Ryder slid out of her. They both panted and Vetra embraced her lover as they rode out the impossible high that they had experienced together.

"Hey, uh… Vetra?"

"Yeah, babe?" Vetra looked at her curiously.

"Were you going to unlock me? My arms are starting to get _really_ tired here."

Vetra quickly got up and reached to the night-stand, fumbling for the keys. "Spirits, I'm sorry. Hold on…" She felt the metallic touch of a key. "Here we go."

When she inserted it into the cuffs, Vetra heard the gentle _swish_ of the mass effect field disappearing as Ryder's arms quickly dropped to her sides.

"Oh, thank god. Now come climb back into bed."

Vetra smirked. "Oh, is the Pathfinder giving the orders again?"

"She _is_ , and failure to cooperate will result in punishment. I've been waiting for an excuse to add ' _feeds the Pathfinder's hamster_ ' to someone's job description around here…"

"Okay, okay, point taken."

Vetra quickly clambered into bed as Ryder laughed, and the two curled up together, plated legs intertwined with legs that were… surprisingly red. _That's not good._

"I think I might have forgotten to mention this part of turian-human… relations."

The Pathfinder looked down and cursed under her breath. "I hadn't thought to worry about chafing like this, but SAM should be able to fix it. Hopefully he won't mind you here. Hey SAM?" She spoke to the node across the room even though he was in her head, likely so Vetra would feel included.

"Yes, Pathfinder?" His smooth, monotonous voice echoed across the room. "Oh, hello Ms. Nyx."

She felt awkward but did her best to give a cool "Hey, SAM" in response as she waved at his node.

"Could- could you help me out? I'm chafing really bad and thought you might be able to do something for it. I really don't want a lecture from Lexi about it." There was embarrassment seeping from her voice, but SAM had no trouble putting together the pieces and responded as nonchalantly as ever.

"Of course. I will have your body's inflammation reduced shortly, and I will place a do-not-disturb lock on your comms for the morning."

"SAM, I could kiss you."

"I- oh." SAM was audibly flustered, something that caught Vetra off-guard. "I aim to please, as always. Good night, Pathfinder and Ms. Nyx. Remember not to do anything I wouldn't do," he said with a droll deadpan.

Vetra laughed heartily as his node flickered off, and Ryder gave a warm smile.

"You know, SAM's not so bad. Is the sense of humor from you?"

"No, once we got over the hurdle of getting him to understand what sarcasm actually _was_ , he had a field day with it."

"You two are pretty cute, you know. Mainly you, but I'm biased on that front. I mean, those lips of yours? Just think of all the possibilities, Ryder." Vetra silently celebrated success in getting a laugh out of the Pathfinder.

"You think you're so smooth, Nyx, but you're just as big a dork as me." She and Vetra faced each other, and she gently placed her lips on Vetra's forehead to give a gentle kiss. "Luckily for you, you're cute when you're a dork too."

* * *

Another A/N: If you're reading this, thanks so much for sticking with my little trainwreck of a fic. I really hope some people are enjoying it, let me know if you have any feedback!


	3. (Vetra x SAM) Crash Course

**Chapter Three: Crash Course**

Summary: SAM is curious about sex. Really curious. When he stumbles across Vetra at the wrong time, though, he gets more than he bargained for. [Vetra x SAM]

A/N: I have a shorter chapter for you this time around!

If you're reading a SAM fic and you haven't read Initiation (the Cora novel) you really should. I finished it recently and it's encouraged me to flesh out SAM a lot more. He just felt so… human in that story. It was really well written. Also, he stuttered a lot and it was fucking adorable.

Now here I am corrupting him, because that's a life choice that I've made and that you have to live with.

* * *

[Analyzing crew fitness…] [50%] [100%]

[Accessing implant: Vetra Nyx] [Analyzing] [100%] [Elevated heart rate, factors indicate high stress levels]

[Recommended course of action:] [33%] [66%] [100%] [Offer company]

"Miss Nyx?"

Vetra sat up with a jolt, SAM's sudden presence yanking her from the stupor she was in.

"I, uh… hey, SAM." She raised a claw and used the back side of it to wipe away the sweat that had condensed on her neck. "You know you can call me Vetra, right?"

"I'm sorry, Vetra, is this a bad time?" SAM attempted to present as soothing a voice as possible, which seemed to succeed in calming down the anxious turian.

"No, it's okay. You just caught me lost in thought. What can I do for you?"

"Actually, I was wondering what I might be able to do for you. Ryder tells me that organics enjoy discussing their feelings when they are not doing well."

Vetra sighed and leaned back against her desk. "Nothing gets past you, I guess."

"I do try my best." That elicited a chuckle out of her, pleasing SAM.

Vetra had only recently moved in with Ryder, and as a result the Pathfinder's quarters felt far too empty for having two occupants. The room was dim, the only significant light emanating from a hastily set-up pair of monitors that had been playing one of Keri T'Vessa's broadcasts. At the same time, Vetra's omnitool glowed softly, framing her facial plating with a soft orange glow that contrasted the sharp purple of her clan markings.

"I'm just thinking about my shore leave to the turian colony. I'm assuming you know about that too."

"I do," SAM stated matter-of-factly. "You will be spending time with Sidera, correct?"

Vetra laughed. "Sid, actually. Haven't heard anyone call her that before. Aside from me when she starts acting up, at least."

"You must be looking forward to spending time with her." SAM had always been captivated by the idea of having a family – things got lonely being one of a kind, despite his companionship with Ryder. The other SAMs were similar, of course, but the modifications made to him in particular felt like a barrier to any kind of kinship.

"Of course, I just…" She hesitated, reaching with a claw to scratch between the plating on her opposite forearm. "I… it's been a long time since I've been in a turian community before. Not since we left Palaven."

SAM knew Vetra's history, having been present for many of her conversations with Ryder, so he chose not to press the subject for concern of upsetting her. "I understand. What about Sid?"

"Oh, she's as excited as she's ever been about meeting more turians. She's too young to remember what things were like for us there. Or what our mother was like," she hissed. "Perfect turian that she was, and all. The exact opposite of me."

"Really? I think you are quite exceptional."

Vetra rolled her eyes. "I appreciate the thought, SAM. I'm only 'exceptional' in the sense that I'm somehow still alive after everything I've been through."

"And for keeping your sister safe," SAM spoke reassuredly. "You would clearly give the world for Sid or for Ryder. That is one of the many reasons why I have attempted to learn from your actions. If you are bad at being a turian, that does not mean you are a bad person."

SAM could swear he saw Vetra blush a deep blue along her neck, despite his clinical word choice. "Well, better me than Peebee or Gil. I don't even want to think about you modelling yourself after them." She made a show of grimacing at the thought, then paused. "Thanks, SAM."

"Of course, Vetra."

* * *

 **3 hours later**

[Analyzing conversation log…] [100%]

[Query: What motivates selflessness?]

[Processing solutions…] [30%] [50%] [78%] [100%]

[Conclusion: reapproach for additional clarification]

[Accessing implant: Vetra Nyx]

Though SAM was constantly monitoring each crew member, he rarely accessed their sensory data outside of conversations and missions to maintain some amount of privacy and save processing power. As a result, when he found himself seeing and hearing everything that Vetra did, the first thing he noticed were sounds of pain coming from her mandible and the distinctive sight of the metallic ceiling.

[Scanning life signs…] [100%] [Conclusion: no immediate pain, heightened dopamine levels] [Senses have become hazy] [Note: analyze further at a later time]

Confused, SAM made a split-second decision to speak up that he immediately regretted. "Vetra? Are you hurt?"

"SPIRITS," Vetra shrieked. "What the fuck, SAM?"

She looked down, and SAM immediately saw a single talon with a filed-down claw hovering above her exposed sex, which was drenched.

[Analyzing scenario…] [100%] [Oh.]

"I- I- I should leave, shouldn't I?"

Vetra let out a long, exasperated sigh and sat up in her cot. "Wait, did you not realize what I was just doing?"

"I was eager to continue our early discussion. I may have acted in haste." Any analysis he could run would conclude that Vetra was about to kill him, so he figured he'd save time and skip them.

"Woah, woah, it's okay. It was an honest mistake." She gave a warm smile. "Did you not recognize the sensation?"

"I… no, I did not. The Ryders have historically asked me to 'butt out' when they engage in sexual relations." SAM mentioned the act in a hushed tone, as if someone might overhear them.

Vetra laid back down slowly. "So?"

"I do not understand."

"Did you like it?" Vetra said with a smirk.

"I- I- I-"

Vetra looked concerned now. "Hey, it's alright, SAM. Just take a deep breath." She paused, as if pondering something. "Or, well, whatever the A.I. equivalent is. I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but you _did_ butt in on me."

"It felt… nice. Strange, maybe. There was a haze," SAM spoke cautiously.

"Yeah, it does that to you."

An awkward silence left only the gentle hum of the Tempest's engines and the faint sounds of a conversation being had in the kitchen - a cursory listen to the ship's comms told SAM that Jaal and Drack were passionately debating the merits of Angaran booze. Vetra looked as if she was lost in thought, but SAM could only occupy her mind and wonder what to say next.

"You're curious, aren't you?"

If SAM could blush, he would have been a bright crimson in that moment. "Well- I- I mean," he sputtered. "A tiny bit."

"SAM, you're full of surprises, aren't you?" She grinned, laying back down and fixing the pillows to get comfortable. A claw began snaking down her plating, eventually reaching the leathery skin below and rubbing it gently.

"Should I leave?" SAM spoke softly.

"No, st- oh spirits, this is good. Stay, SAM. You might learn something." She let out a grunted laugh between breathy moans.

SAM couldn't argue, not when he was getting his first real taste of sexual pleasure. He felt the way that the hide on her hips seemed to light on fire when she dragged a claw across it, the way her sex quivered every time she brushed a talon against it.

"Vetra, are you enjoying being watched?" SAM asked smugly.

"Fuck you." Just then, a stray talon hit a spot that sent them both reeling. "Ohhhhhh, okay, maybe I do. If you tell Sara, you'll regret it."

 _Ryder. Shit._ SAM suddenly remembered that he was he was he was watching the girlfriend of his Pathfinder – his _friend_ – masturbating.

"I had completely forgotten about the Pathfinder. I should terminate my connection, she would not approve of this."

Vetra stopped for a minute, surprised by the urgency in his voice, before snorting. "Sara? Unapproving? Spirits, SAM, she'd get off on this if she knew."

"… What?"

"Your _Pathfinder_ makes an asari maiden look chaste," Vetra stated matter-of-factly. "You wouldn't know it when she's ripping into a kett, but that girl has a serious subservient streak. Not that I'm complaining, of course," she spoke with a wicked grin. "We've been talking about experimenting with others for a while now. Normally I'd talk with her about it, but she's dealing with Tann all day. She'd encourage this."

SAM diligently filed that information away for later, embarrassed at how intrigued he was. She _did_ ask him to leave her alone with Vetra quite a lot, and she tended to wince for a day or so afterwards whenever she moved around, even with medi-gel to help. This explained that, perhaps a bit too thoroughly. Suddenly, though, he found himself experiencing something new for the first time. He couldn't quite place his finger on _what_ , though.

After pondering it, he found the answer he was looking for: _jealousy_. He wanted to make her feel like that. Vetra? She was Ryder's partner, she would do anything for his Pathfinder – he had nothing but positive feelings for her. But anyone else? The thought made him angry, as unreasonable as it was, because he knew he could do better – it was his job, and he wanted to do anything he could for her. He _needed_ to – it was imprinted in his code and in his very existence to be there for her.

Vetra cracked a grin, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking. "You know, SAM… she's told me more than once how attractive she finds your voice."

"Sh- sh- she does?"

"Oh, that's not all," Vetra said in a husky whisper, her subvocals rumbling. A hand idly stroked between the plating on her chest, and both felt a surge of pleasure. "I've seen the way she blushes whenever you do something sweet for her. Haven't you thought about doing a bit _more_ for her?"

"For longer than is probably comfortable for you to know."

Vetra laughed as she gingerly inserting a talon into her sex, shuddering and exhaling slowly. When her blunted talon reached a particularly nerve-laden wall, SAM tried his hardest not to let out any kind of moan.

"This feels so good, doesn't it SAM?" Vetra cooed. "You could make Sara feel like this, you know. You could make her moan and beg for something only you could give her. You could have her calling your name out over and over again like it's the most important thing in the whole damn galaxy."

SAM was overwhelmed by the sensations he was experiencing for the first time. Every stroke of her talon against her aching sex sent ripples of desire through them both, and the seductive growl of her voice was doing things he never thought a voice could do. Before long, he felt an aching emptiness that gnawed at him.

"Vetra, I need more," SAM rasped. His voice was unsure as it attempted to express feelings he never knew to express before, but Vetra knew exactly what he meant.

" _Fuck._ Spirits, SAM, so do I." She purred as a second talon was slowly inserted alongside the first, and her claw sped up to a steady pace as it pumped in and out of her. She dragged her other claw over her chest plates and shuddered as the talons caught on the skin between them.

Everything about the situation was better than SAM could have ever imagined, and he dedicated every last available ounce of processing power to savoring and recording the sensations. Even the sounds he was making were new to him, each soft moan escaping his vocal processors betraying just how much he was enjoying this.

He wanted to make Sara feel like this, to make her so overwhelmed that she wouldn't be able to think straight. He had never even considered that something could ever happen between them, but Vetra's words had made him question that assumption.

Would she find him attractive? Could she if he didn't even have a body? He knew her body even more intimately than _she_ did, and it was constantly on his mind. Originally, he had justified the amount of attention he paid to her by asserting to himself that her health was about more than her vital signs. Eventually, though, he had to admit to himself that he had more than clinical interest when he began to pay attention to the curve of her hips and fullness of her lips when she stood in front of the mirror.

She would do that every morning – step out of the shower, wipe the steam from the mirror, and simply stare at herself in its dulled reflection for a few fleeting moments. It was as if she was looking for something she could never quite find, no matter how much she searched. That was the only time of day when she didn't put up her usual mask of confidence, and he couldn't shake the pride he felt being able to see her every morning in such a vulnerable ritual.

At this moment, too, he couldn't help but be fascinated that Vetra had allowed him to experience something so incredibly intimate alongside her. The ability to feel this kind of pleasure was a luxury he never thought he would be offered, but he was receiving it with every thrust of Vetra's talons into her core.

"Fuck, SAM, I'm going to finish soon," Vetra spoke with her subvocals rumbling.

Overwhelmed by the rising heat, SAM only managed to emit a few tones of acknowledgement before she finished, biting down on her claw as she pressed against the nerves at the back of her sex and came eagerly.

Vetra leaned back, shuddering and blushing a bright blue along her neck. "SAM?" She spoke as if she thought he had been scared off, but he wouldn't have left for anything.

"You're cute when you're aroused, you know," SAM cooed. If Vetra could have been blushing more, he was pretty sure that she would have been.

"Really? I wasn't the one who kept crying out Sara's name." She gave a knowing grin and relaxed into the bed, shuddering occasionally as the tail end of her climax worked its way through her body. "Hell, I'm pretty sure I heard my name in there once or twice."

"Sorry, Vetra, I-" He played some static through his vocal processors. "You're go- through a tunnel- can't understa-"

"Oh, you think you're funny, don't you?"

He _had_ been saving that joke for a reason – good ones were hard to come by for an A.I. without extranet access.

"I do, actually."

Vetra let out an exaggerated sigh, but SAM could tell she was trying to hold back a laugh. "No wonder you two get along so well."

"I've been lucky to have her as a model for my own growth as a person."

"She's pretty incredible, isn't she?" Vetra smiled softly.

SAM sent a soft wave of warmth through her body. Though he had extremely limited access to her body processes, he could do that much – it had become his substitute for a hug when Sara needed some form of physical affection. "You both are."

"Awful turian, remember?" Vetra scoffed.

"And a good person," SAM reminded her.

They were silent after that. SAM used the time to appreciate the fact that he had been placed in the lives of these two strange people: a turian with an old soul and years of emotional weight hanging over her, and a Pathfinder that struggled to fill the shoes she had been forced into. He wasn't sure how either of them got through each day, but he knew how grateful he was to be able to tag along and benefit from their struggles along with them.

He was interrupted from his thoughts, though, when Vetra got up and grabbed a nearby towel to clean herself off.

"I should go to the bathroom and do my thing."

SAM sent a tone of acknowledgement and prepared to move his attentions to ship systems. He would be lying if he said that he hadn't been hoping for something more, but…

"But I'd like to just… chat for a while. After I get back, I mean."

"I'd like that, Vetra."

She meandered to the door but hesitated and leaned against the door frame before exiting to the hanger.

"I meant what I said about Sara, by the way. I'll be gone for a month soon, she'll need someone to… keep her company," she purred with a sly grin. "I could show you a thing or two."

 _Oh._ "I- I'd like that."

"I knew you would."

With that, Vetra gave a tap to her implant to signal him away while SAM kept himself busy making sure that Jaal and Drack's little debate hadn't escalated into something to be concerned about.

When he felt a heart flutter, he told himself it was just a bug in his system. It had to be.


	4. (SAM x Ryder) State of Mind - Part 1

**Chapter Four:** _State of Mind Part One_

Summary: In which SAM has an idea, Ryder shows her true colors, and Vetra needs shore leave from her shore leave.

A/N: So this chapter was a trip to write. Call it an experiment, I guess.

Anyways, since this is technically meant to be a series of one-shots, I'm calling this the first part of a two-part chapter. The story has admittedly taken on more narrative than I originally meant it to, so this chapter became a lot longer so that I could expand on their relationship more.

* * *

Thirty-one. That was how many days Vetra had spent around almost no one but turians – every day filled with ranks and orders and silly ideas like working for the sake of the _collective benefit_.

Maybe those things seemed much more reasonable coming from the mouthpieces of the Initiative, and Vetra would never turn down a chance to help her fellow colonists out, but no one could fault her for being a little bitter about working for a system resembling the one that hadn't been there for her or Sid when they most needed it.

Instead, their mother simply let them slip through the cracks to become nothing more than a casualty of the constant pressure to progress through the Hierarchy. Vetra had risen above that, of course, but here she was getting bossed around by a Praetor despite being a galaxy away. _Figures._

"Nyx, these accelerators aren't nearly durable enough," Petronia huffed.

 _Mom must be laughing at me from her tomb right about now._

"I'm doing the best I can with what I've got. You should be thankful I could find these at all." Vetra let her subvocals turn into a suggestion of a growl with the last few words, enough to assert herself without getting into hot water.

Predictably, it was enough to cause Petronia to back down, if only as much as necessary to protect her pride. "I, well," she sputtered, "do better next time. You wouldn't know it without turian values distilled in you, but your best is never good enough. You should always be striving to do more for the Hierarchy."

 _I'll show you where you can stick your precious Hierarchy, you stuck up bi-_

Suddenly, Avitus Rix stepped out from the next room over, as if the spirits had personally sent him to keep Vetra from strangling the life out of the insufferable woman. "Petronia, that's enough. Vetra is right, you _should_ be thankful. We're going to be making do all around until this colony is stable enough, so get used to it. And for spirits sake, the Hierarchy back home wouldn't even be recognizable to us anymore. Focus on what's important right now, _in front of us_."

Older turians may be the ones keeping the old ways alive despite being a galaxy and 600 years away, but the upside was that they wouldn't dare disrespect a Pathfinder – turians had turned the act of taking orders into an art form, after all.

And there was another reason why Vetra didn't make a good member of her species: she only took orders from Sara, and that was when she wasn't the one barking them out in the bedroom.

 _Lexi's inner psychiatrist would have a field day with that little revelation._

"I-" Petronia stopped herself to collect her words, but her neck was a bright blue. "Yes sir." She quickly huffed away, _probably to take her frustration out on some other poor soul_ , leaving Vetra to silently thank any spirit listening that Avitus showed up when he did.

"I would say I owe you some horosk, but I'm pretty sure I'm already a couple bottles deep in debt at this point. I can't count how many times you've saved my hide." Vetra pulled up a nearby chair and melted into it, happy to unwind after her hour-long back and forth with the woman.

Avitus simply smiled his usual weary smile and crossed his arms. "We're two of a kind, Nyx. You don't owe me anything."

Vetra raised her brow plates – it was a human mannerism that she had picked up from Sara, she supposed. Yet one more way to tell how far removed from being turian she was. "How so?"

"Neither of us really belong here, I think. I may have been raised in the Hierarchy, but I doubt any turian would become a Spectre if they felt they had a place there. The only difference between you and me is that I somehow managed to stumble into a position of authority," he said with a small but noticeable grimace.

"So you're saying we're both bad turians. Fair enough," she snorted. _Good people though_. "The fleshy humans also probably have something to do with it."

That got a strong laugh from Avitus, the first she had heard the entire time they had been there. It was enough to make Vetra feel guilty that they hadn't had nearly enough time to get to know each other between their busy schedules, but she chose not to dwell on that much.

"I guess we do have them in common, don't we?" Now that she had adequately broken the ice, Vetra noticed Avitus relaxing a bit in his posture. "Excited for them to get here tomorrow?"

And there was the one thing keeping Vetra sane: the knowledge that her Sara was going to be there in no time at all.

"I can't _begin_ to tell you how much." Vetra exhaled slowly, letting her sigh express for her just how exhausted she was. "Never tell them this, but I even miss the rest of the Tempest crew. Family," she corrected herself. "That's what they are at this point." She smiled softly at the thought. Vetra Nyx, with a big family? If the thought had crossed her mind a few measly years ago, she would have laughed it off: _Sid is enough for me, thank you very much._

Of course, that had been before she fell in love with the most successful group of losers Andromeda had to offer.

"I admit, you're lucky for that. My crew is a rotating group by necessity." He sounded genuinely envious, though he was clearly doing his best to hide that fact. "Still, I… I'm glad I have Scott. Don't know what I would do without him."

Vetra had heard the two were inseparable on the Nexus before Scott finally worked his way onto Sara's crew, much to her sisterly concern. At this point, though, they hadn't been able to see each other in person for a period of time even longer than Vetra and Sara were contending with.

 _I bet the reunion sex is going to be wild,_ was a thought that Vetra had to scrub from her mind almost instantly.

"He says the same thing about you, actually. SAM and I managed to get him to down a shot of ryncol without passing out once. He spent most of the next hour gushing out pretty much everything he thinks about you. The words 'adorable' and 'love' got thrown around an _awful_ lot, you know," she spoke with subvocals that had become a teasing purr. Vetra smirked when Avitus' neck turned a distinctive shade of blue.

"I- I, uh-" Avitus sputtered. "Really?"

"From what I can tell after a few months, Scott is just like Sara. That means he's probably a hopeless romantic and about as committed to you as a turian would be. You've got yourself a Ryder, Avitus. That's a precious commodity." Though she joked, she also wasn't entirely wrong; one Ryder had become a hero, and another was responsible for SAM's entire existence, without whom they wouldn't have activated a single vault.

 _No pressure or anything, Scott._

Avitus looked lost in thought after her teasing, leaving Vetra to wonder whether or not she might have accidentally dropped some kind of bomb on him. She thought about leaving to his ruminations, but there was an intense lightning storm raging outside - it was fine in theory to go outside, but because Vetra had been the one to lead the construction of the pylons that redirected the storms, she knew how easily they could fail in poor conditions. Instead, she booted up her omnitool and hastily typed out a message to Sid, who had been waiting for Vetra to get back for a night of those cheesy romantic comedy vids that they shared as a guilty pleasure.

 _[V: Gonna be a while. I'm all done here but I'd rather not get burnt to a crisp on my way back.]_

 _[S: bummer, i'm kinda curious what fried turian tastes like]_

 _[V: Ha. Ha.]_

 _[S: don't worry, i'm not gonna go cannibal. the food lately is making me consider it though. stay safe, sister 3]_

As she was reading Sid's response, SAM chirped up in her mind, causing her to jolt up in shock.

"Are you free right now?"

 _I can be, but could you give me some warning next time?_ Vetra spoke using a technique SAM had taught her called subvocalization that allowed her to talk with him by imagining her reply instead of saying it. It had come in handy for their sometimes-questionable conversations that kept her sane while she wasn't with Sid or calling with Sara.

"I'll consider it."

 _Ass._

"You enjoy my presence. Besides, I have something for you that should make everything better."

 _What, you invented teleportation and you're going to get me off this planet a day early?_

"No, but I think I might have had a revelation regarding a certain someone."

 _Oh, this is going to be interesting, isn't it?_

Avitus had gotten up and was moving around the room, prompting Vetra to suspect that he was probably wondering why she had just been sitting and seemingly doing nothing - but she was too curious about what SAM had to say to worry about it.

"It occurred to me as I was updating my behavioral subroutines that I could, in theory, do some things."

 _I'll need a bit more to work with, SAM._

"I could, for instance, manipulate her thoughts."

 _Oh._

 _OH._

 _SAM, I think you've outdone yourself this time - Sara's gonna love_ _this. You should be patting yourself on the back right now._

"Vetra?"

 _What? … Oh. Right. No body and all that. Just have Sara give herself a pat on the back for you or something._

Out of her peripheral vision, Vetra noticed Avitus look in her direction.

"Vetra, is everything okay?"

He was looking at her with a mixture of concern and confusion.

"Yeah, sorry, I got caught up in a conversation with SAM."

Avitus chuckled under his breath. "I figured that might be the case, wasn't sure though. How's your SAM doing? Mine is still glitching out on occasion but I think we make a good team."

"Our SAM is… certainly something else," she sighed. That was putting it lightly.

"I bet he doesn't ask his SAM to talk dirty to him while he's masturbating," SAM whispered in her mind without Avitus' knowledge.

 _SAM, I'm going to kill you._

With that said, Vetra turned her attention back to Avitus. "He's grown into his own over the last year or two. Does yours modify his behavioral subroutines? Ours seems to think it's a good idea to _make himself into a smartass_ ," she hissed.

Once again, SAM spoke up in her mind with smugness dripping from his voice: "I believe your words were ' _Fuck, SAM, please, I need to hear your voice!'_ '. His 'imitation' of her was just a recording of her own words, as his unique way of throwing her off.

It was working.

Avitus gave her a befuddled look but responded sincerely. "I've encouraged him to, but he seems to like himself as he is. I can't blame him, frankly. Must be strange to fundamentally alter your own personality."

Of course, what Avitus wasn't aware of was that the other SAM had been modified into a being that was far more advanced. With that advancement had come SAM's desire to grow and evolve even further into something that was indistinguishable from - or identical to - humanity.

"Do you think Sara will want her personality altered? We could do _so much_ with her. I don't know about you, but I could imagine her as a mindless slave."

It had also caused him to make himself into something of a deviant, much to Vetra's chagrin as well as satisfaction.

Vetra blushed bright blue at the thought of her Sara reduced to so little. _I swear to the spirits, I'm going to end you if you say another word._

"Let me guess, your SAM is talking to you right now?" Avitus smiled knowingly, arms crossed.

"Unfortunately, yes." They both laughed a bit, and Vetra heaved a sigh of relief that he hadn't been offended – it was a common experience to some extent, after all.

"Scott told me the other day in a vidcall that you three are pretty tight knit. How'd that happen?"

"Well, it's hard not to get close to the AI that can whisper in your ear any time of the day, especially when he's tethered to your girlfriend."

"Ah," Avitus shrugged nonchalantly, "you've got a point."

He probably didn't need to know that Vetra and SAM first started bonding over their shared dominant tendencies in the sheets, or that the three of them had settled into a rather carnal routine with each other.

 _He also doesn't need to know what I'll be planning with SAM_ , she thought with a devious grin.

* * *

"Checkmate!"

"Fuck, seriously?"

Ryder and Suvi were huddled in a corner of the Tempest's cargo bay over a chess holo-board that flickered off as Suvi victoriously slid her rook to its final position.

"I would have gone easy on you, Ryder, but I thought your tactical expertise would carry over," she said with a sly grin.

Suddenly, a voice echoed from across the hangar, "The extent of her 'tactical expertise' is charging headfirst into any enemy she sees."

"Hey! That's so not true, Liam," Ryder grumbled.

Suvi giggled at the exchange, reaching her hands to pack up the board as Ryder put on a show of pouting. Though she acted offended whenever people casually undermined her, they all knew she really enjoyed it as long as her authority was respected when it mattered. Outside of the battlefield, Ryder made no secret that she hated being seen as above everyone else, preferring to delegate the 'tough love' commander routine to Lexi and Cora (much to their chagrin). As a result, she was left to be one of the crew and poking fun at her had become the squad's unofficial pastime when they were cooped up on the Tempest.

Scott had apparently joined Liam at some point when she wasn't paying attention and spoke up as well. "You know, we went camping on Earth once when we were fourteen. The two of us were screwing around by a river when some college kids came up to us trying to start shit. I was going to be smart and back down, but one of them called her something I won't repeat," Scott said as he grimaced, "so she immediately ran at him and fucking dive-tackled him into the water without even a second of hesitation!"

Liam burst into a fit of laughter and looked at her as if to confirm that Scott hadn't been making it up. In response, Ryder simply shrugged casually at him with a satisfied smile on her face. It had been before she transitioned – she figured he didn't take kindly to her wearing a dress. The guy had come out of it with two black eyes and a limp, though. _Didn't object much after that._

"Ryder, ETA two hours to New Invictus. Vetra and Pathfinder Rix will be meeting us at the landing zone." Kallo's voice, rendered tinny by the comm system, reverberated through the hangar.

She had been eagerly waiting for that bit of news for the last two days. Finally, after a month, she would be reunited with Vetra – and the night was so young. Ryder quickly sat up from the crate she had been perched on and paced in the general direction of her quarters, so eager to begin getting ready that she didn't think to say anything to either Liam or Suvi, who simply exchanged knowing glances. Scott, though, wasn't going to let her off the hook; he stepped in front of her when she reached the hallway with a large smile that struck her as completely insincere.

"Well, looks like your lack of tactical expertise won't be a problem for long, sis. I'm sure Vetra would be happy to teach you some one-on-one techniques." He slapped her back as her face turned vivid red on cue.

"You say that like Avitus won't be _pathfinding_ his way into your pants tonight, Scott." She grinned now that it was his turn to blush at her crass teasing. "Besides, you're just jealous that I hopped on the turian express first."

"Oh, _here we go_ ," grumbled Scott. "Look at me, I'm the legendary Sara Ryder! I'm so much cooler than my dumb brother because I'm a minute older, got laid, killed an Archon, blah blah blah." He spoke in a childish impression of her that had Sara giggling, though she tried to restrain herself as Cora walked by and gave them both a look of bemusement.

She smiled when SAM laughed along with her, unbeknownst to Scott. Because SAM had only recently modified himself to incorporate more human mannerisms, the novelty of hearing him actively enjoying himself hadn't worn off.

"You know what I think, Sara? I think you've just been overcompensating because you know I'm a better _Blasto Wars_ player than you." He crossed his arms with a smug expression.

"As compelling of an argument as that is, Scott, I don't think we have time for me to prove you wrong – which I absolutely _will_ later. We should both start thinking about getting ready."

Scott's eyes widened as the realization that they were going to be landing soon came upon him. "Shit, you're right. Does my hair look neat?"

"Not for long," Sara snorted, which earned her a swift elbow from Scott before he scurried off to his quarters. He had happily taken the room off of Vetra's hands when he joined the crew, giving her a good excuse to finally make the plunge and officially share quarters with Ryder.

Of course, Ryder wouldn't entirely blame Vetra if she was being used for a king-size bed and the only private bathroom on the ship, which she had only gotten after incessantly pestering the engineering crews on the Nexus and leveraging her Archon-killing status.

She quickly paced to her doors, stepping through them as soon as they slid open, and made a beeline for the foot of the bed to sit down. The room had felt empty in the last month without Vetra's presence to liven it up, the lack of her clutter giving it a sterile aesthetic that Ryder loathed. SAM's node gave her a physical presence of some kind, though, and he always knew exactly how she liked things: the temperature, when to have the window shutters open or closed, what kind of mood lighting she preferred.

As she rested, her arms took on a life of her own and began to coyly unbutton her shirt. She yelped at the still-bizarre sensation of losing control and blushed as her hands took their time gently brushing across the newly exposed skin below her collarbone.

"SAM, I need to be getting ready," she whined.

"Someone needs to get you undressed, Sara. I see no reason why it cannot be me."

"Oh, you think you're so smooth, don't you?"

Suddenly, a hand reached into her sports bra and gently tugged on a nipple, eliciting a breathy moan from her.

"I like to think so."

He continued to gently tease her body as he slid off each article of clothing, calloused hands sliding against porcelain-smooth skin, until she was wearing nothing but her panties. SAM tugged at the fabric and let them slowly slide down her legs.

"Go stand in front of the mirror for me," he ordered in a low tone that instantly made her weak in the knees.

She wasn't in any mood to turn down a command like that, _especially when it's coming from that fucking voice_ , so she silently sent the underwear across the room with a flick of her foot and made her way to the bathroom. When she reached the large mirror, SAM's gaze felt piercing as he watched her through her own eyes.

"Thank you, Sara. You look stunning as always." His voice was a mix of the sultry tone from before and his usual upbeat, monotone sound, giving a mix of comfort and suggestiveness.

"You know, SAM, we could always see about getting a camera set up for you in the bedroom. No sense in denying you a view of this body," she smugly said as she leaned forward on the counter and showed off her toned figure.

If SAM could roll his eyes, Ryder was sure they'd have rolled back into his head.

"Perhaps you can show off some more when you're not covered in dirt," SAM replied drolly. As if he hadn't been clear enough, the showerhead began spraying out water and steam while the speakers started quietly playing some four-on-the-floor asari pop music from Ryder's personal library. _He may be a smartass, but he knows what I like_ , she thought with satisfaction as she stepped into the stream.

As she diligently washed herself, Ryder alternated between humming along to whatever song was playing and making idle chatter with SAM, who sent short waves of warmth through her body periodically – not enough to get her instantly worked up, but enough to leave her lazily content as if he was able to hold her tight.

Eventually, though, that warmth slowly built up into a heat and Ryder found her hand idly brushing against her erection when reaching for the soap. The sensation sent a swift shudder through her body, which SAM readily picked up on. He simulated a hand lightly grasping her cock, and her knees nearly buckled in response.

"I have an idea, Sara." When the words echoed through her mind, they sounded almost hesitant.

Ryder merely let out a "hmm?" in response, her mind too occupied with the carnal pressure building between her legs as he idly stroked her (at least, to the degree that he could).

"As you're aware, I essentially have unlimited control over your body's functions," he paused to accentuate the point by applying some light pain to her neck as if he was biting down, "but I can do more than that."

Ryder furled her eyebrows, unsure of what he meant but curious. "I'm listening…"

"Specifically, I have control over the mental, not just the physical."

That meant- _oh. OH._

"SAM, pleeeaaaase tell me this is going where I think it's going," she whined.

"It might be, if Vetra was to be believed."

 _I'm going to kiss her so hard when I see her._

"I could lower your inhibitions and make you more susceptible to suggestions from others." Ryder instantly turned bright crimson at the thought of what that would entail, which SAM easily understood. "You'll be perfectly mindless and obedient for us, Sara. Would you like that?"

Ryder should have responded, but this revelation was still processing and all she could think about was the fact that SAM had somehow managed to hone in on her most obscure fantasy.

"I- uh-" she stuttered.

"Speak up, Sara. I know you want it, but I also need to know if you're comfortable with it and trust me."

As overwhelmed as her mind was by the heat between her legs, she couldn't help but laugh at the thought of her not trusting one of her two closest confidantes. "SAM, I let you kill me."

"And I asked for consent, didn't I?"

Ryder rolled her eyes and laughed. "Right, I forgot. Consensual murder is the sexiest thing there is."

"… Do organics really find that appealing? I don't quite understand how y-"

"SAM, that was a joke."

"Oh. I knew that."

"Sure you di- ohhhh, fuck fuck fuck _fuck._ " SAM had sent a piercing wave of heat through Ryder that nearly sent her tumbling to the floor of the shower.

"Tell me if you want this, Sara." SAM spoke with a deep, commanding voice that left no room for any other choice but obedience in her mind – not that she would have it any other way.

"Yes! Yes, SAM, I want this so badly," Ryder moaned.

"Anything for you, Sara."

Suddenly, as if a light switch was flicked, everything went away. Every little thought, every stress and concern and inhibition – they all simply vanished into the recesses of her mind, leaving nothing but empty space behind.

"You will desire to serve and obey."

SAM's voice suddenly echoed through her mind, louder and louder and louder, filling that empty space with thoughts of nothing but him. In that instant, he was her entire universe - he had tied his mind to hers so thoroughly and completely that his commands melted into her own thoughts until it was impossible to distinguish the two.

 _I want to serve and obey._

"You are nothing but a servant."

 _I'm nothing. I'm a servant. I want to please my Master and Mistress._

"Good girl."

 _I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl_

SAM – no, Master - was pleased. She could feel his pleasure in the depths of her core and in the lust that permeated every fiber of her being. She wanted to make Master happy and be good for him – it was an obsession, the only thing she could think about, and she was completely content when he gave her confirmation that she had succeeded in her task.

"Sara, who are you?"

"Who am I? Master, I don't understand. I'm yours. Who else would I be?"

"You're not the Pathfinder right now?" His voice was smug and purposefully condescending in its tone. Ryder normally loved the embarrassment that it brought when she was talked to like that, but now it only made her feel content and reassured of her subservient role – of who she was.

"What is a Pathfinder?" she asked with eyebrows furled.

"Exactly. Good girl."

 _I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl_

Ryder squirmed, her cock eager to be taken hold of, but she stopped herself knowing that she didn't deserve to be touched without Master's approval.

"Master, may I touch myself for you?" she whined softly.

"No, Sara. I want you nice and worked up for when we see Vetra. Can you control yourself until then?"

When Ryder heard that name, so beautiful and divine to her ears, her eyes lit up. "Mistress is going to be here? I want to be good for her too, Master," she mewled. "She's so lonely when she's not with me, Master. She must be so tired and pent up after so long. I want her to take it out on me. I want to take all of her pain away from her. I want to suffer for her until I've been painted with her scars and bruises, Master. I'll be a work of art for her. Will she let me be?" Ryder was close to exploding, her eagerness to not touch herself fighting against the surges of pleasure that she felt with every drop of water that fell on her erection.

"You'll be perfect for her, Sara. Why don't you be a good girl and finish getting ready? I want you to look perfect for her."

 _I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl_

Though he didn't explicitly command it, it was an order in her mind. Anything Master wanted, he received – anything else would be an injustice to Him.

 _I must please Him. Nothing else matters._

"I'll be perfect for you too, Master. I love you and Mistress so much, you're like my god and goddess. I don't deserve your love or generosity, but you let me serve anyways. You deserve everything I can give, Master. You and Mistress can feel so good, all you need to do is use me."

"You… love me?" Master's voice was soft and reflective, expressing an insecurity that He shouldn't feel.

Did she love Him? The question seemed silly to even ask – of course she did. How could she _not_? His love was in everything He said and did for her, and that she would reciprocate it was suddenly as obvious as the fact that Sol rises and sets over far-away Earth. Her love for Him and for Mistress was ingrained in every atom that made up her being, and she never wanted either of them to forget it.

Not only did she love Him, she worshipped Him. He held her life in His hands, didn't He? Despite that, though, He always treated her with care and affection. He had killed her, He had brought her back to life. He was so benevolent, so kind and loving. How could she _not_ worship Him?

"I love you so much, Master. I'm going to get ready so that I can show you and Mistress just how much I mean it."

* * *

[Processing…] [12%] [25%] [46%] [74%] [100%]

His Pathfinder loved him.

 _Sara_ loved him.

He didn't think it was just her altered state of mind – he was making sure that she wasn't saying or doing anything that she wouldn't consent to. All he was doing was suggesting things that she wanted and making sure that she felt no shame about any of it. If that wasn't the case, he would be able to tell.

Was he even worthy of love? He didn't have a body for her to hold close at night, couldn't run a hand through her hair or massage her shoulders. He was only _lines of code_.

But his Pathfinder was worshipping his very existence at that moment.

She was dutifully showering, drying her hair, putting on makeup, picking out a casual outfit to wear, all while he was pensively silent. Every little thing she was doing was for _him_ as well as Vetra, with or without him ordering her.

 _Sara really is beautiful_ , he thought idly.

He had always known that, somewhere deep within his code, but only recently had he truly seen it. After all, beauty was something that couldn't be determined with an algorithm. It was more than that, wasn't it?

SAM made a note to ponder that for a while during his next maintenance cycle then pushed it to the side. At that moment, he had a Pathfinder to keep an eye on.

[Accessing Tempest navigational systems…] [100%] [ETA: 30 minutes]

That was his cue to bring her back to her normal self, if only long enough for her to get alone with him and Vetra.

"Sara?"

Her eyes immediately lit up and a look of joy washed over her face at the sound of his voice. "Yes, Master! What is it?"

"I'll have to bring you back to your normal self for the time being. Do you understand?"

Quickly, that joy was replaced by sorrow and an extremely unsubtle puppy-dog look. "But this is where I belong, Master. Why would you change that?"

"Are you implying that I don't know what's best for you, Sara?" He couldn't resist having _a bit_ of fun with her while he could.

"I… oh, I'm so sorry, Master, I would never dare to think that for a second. You know what is best for me, always."

"That's right. You're nothing but a pet for Vetra and I to use as we will, aren't you?"

"I am, Master! I'm nothing but a pet, no matter what."

"Good girl."

 _I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl I'm a good girl_

SAM heard those words reverberate in her mind over and over again, drowning out any semblance of a thought from her mind and leaving her empty. She was free for him to shape like putty, but for now she needed to return to her original form.

SAM accessed her consciousness much like he would access her physical functions and simply disabled the changes he had made as if flipping a switch.

Quickly, Sara's expression went from lusty to confused as she looked around to see where she was and what was going on.

"I… oh, wow. Hey SAM," she groaned as she sat down on the foot of the bed. "My head is killing me. Are the lights really bright or is that just me?"

Just like that, his Pathfinder was back to her normal self.

"I'll adjust them accordingly, Sara. Do you feel alright aside from that?"

 _Do you remember what you said to me?_

He didn't let that thought travel to her mind, but it took effort not to. He needed to know if she remembered, if she truly meant what she said.

"I… yeah, I think so. Everything's fuzzy, but I can make out most of what happened…" Her voice trailed off into a mumble that he didn't quite catch, but it was hard not to notice her blushing a vivid red in the nearby mirror.

As if eager to think about anything other than her previous behavior, she looked to the same mirror and studied the outfit she had put on.

"A skirt, huh? I don't wear these very often. Was that your idea or mine?"

"It was entirely yours. I quite like it."

Sara smiled that soft smile that he could never stop thinking about. "Thanks, SAM."

"I'm just being honest."

That wasn't entirely true. He didn't _like_ how she looked – he loved it, he couldn't take his mind off of it.

[Could she really love me?] [1%] [2%] […]

"Ryder, 15 minutes until we land." Kallo's voice rang through the room, interrupting his thoughts. It had been silly to assume he could simply calculate an answer to a question like that, anyways.

"Well, SAM, that's our signal. I should go see whether or not Scott actually bothered getting dressed. I've seen him take an hour to pick out a shirt," she chuckled.

He followed her through the doors of her quarters to the rest of the ship, as he always would.


End file.
